July 31st, 1986
by OzTheGreatAndPowerful
Summary: Harry's sixth birthday. Everything goes wrong, except one thing.


**Title: July 31****st****, 1986**

**Author: Jaden Dalton**

**Written for the Twin exchange**

_**Written for the **_**July 09 Challenge**

_**Prompt: A **_**Goldfish**

_**Pairing: **_**Harry Luna**

_**Quote: **_**"Woops**

_**Summery: **_**Harry's sixth birthday. Everything goes wrong, except one thing. (Not my best work, I just wanted to participate in the exchange.)**

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**Title: July 31st, 1986**

Harry Potter blinked and stared up at the ceiling of his bedroom in the stair closet. He yawned and rolled over. Then, he sat up very quickly. The Dursleys had to be nice to him today. It was his sixth birthday after all. He dressed himself in his baggy hand-me-downs and burst into the hall. No one in sight. He entered the kitchen.

"Where have you been boy?" His uncle Vernon growled. "Sleeping in? Lazy lump."

Harry waited expectantly. Uncle Vernon looked back up from his newspaper.

"What are you waiting for? Take your seat, before we take your breakfast."

Harry slumped slightly, but took his seat. Maybe they had something good for breakfast? The same meager portion of whatever was left over from Dudley's plate awaited his arrival. He slowly pushed an already mutilated piece of French toast around his plate.

"Today's my birthday…"

No one said anything. He finished his breakfast in silence. Afterwords, he sat in the living room. Maybe he'd get to watch TV? Those hopes were quickly crushed.

"Watch TV? HA! Get away! Go on! Make yourself useful elsewhere."

Harry entered the hallway. He started toward the closet, but then eyed the front door. There was no way he'd spend his birthday in a closet. He tiptoed out the door and down the street. He felt cheerful, but immensely alone. Once he'd cleared the neighborhood and entered the town, he discovered something extremely delightful. There was a fair in town. He roamed around. He spotted something on the ground. It was money. He recognized it from when he got to go to the supermarket with Aunt Petunia. He didn't know how much, but he knew he could play games. He approached the first booth. Little cups of water stood on a table.

"Can I play?"

The man running the booth looked down at him and laughed.

"Sure kid. If you can make it, even once, I'll give you the prize."

Harry's heart fluttered. He handed the man his money, and he handed some back. All he had to do was throw a small coin into one of the cups and he could have a present. He had to do it. For his birthday….He closed his eyes and threw….

"What the hell?"

He opened his eyes.

"How'd you do that, kid?"

"Do what?"

"Whatever just take your fish and go."

He handed Harry a very small goldfish in a plastic baggy filled with water. He was so overjoyed; He had gotten a pet for his birthday! He stepped back from the booth, admiring his present.

"Um, excuse me?"

He turned to see a girl with white-blond hair, staring as if through him.

"Hello!"

Harry blinked.

"Hi…"

"You want to know a secret?"

Harry was confused. He stared blankly.

"I know how you did that."

"Did what?"

"I know how you made it. Come with me and I'll tell you."

She turned and started towards a cluster of trees and grass. He followed. She plopped down in the grass and patted the seat next to her. He sat.

"You're a wizard."

Harry started. A wizard?

"What are you-"

He shook his head.

"Like a game of wizards?"

She shook her head.

"No, for real. You can do magic and things. You're not supposed to in public though, so you have to be careful…."

He stared at her. She held out her hand.

"I'm Luna Lovegood."

He stared at her hand.

"You're supposed to shake it…"

He looked up at her.

"I know!"

He shook her hand.

"Luna! Luna, it's time to go!"

She looked around and stood up.

"Goodbye then."

And she left, just like that. He stood and started home, reveling in the friend he'd made, on his birthday. No matter the strangeness of the girl. He entered the front hallway at the same time Dudley made to go up the stairs.

"Oy, what've you got there?"

Harry held it up proudly.

"I got it for my birthday!"

Dudley approached Harry and made to snatch the goldfish from him. Harry pulled away, but lost his grip. Dudley grabbed it and ripped it open.

"I want to hold it!"

Water fell everywhere; the fish flopped to the floor.

"Woops!"

Dudley stared at the mess, then at Harry. He ran into the next room.

"Mom! MOM! Harry brought a goldfish home and threw it on the floor! There's water everywhere!"

Harry slumped to the floor and started to cry. Later that night, after he was sent to bed, without supper, he stared at his ceiling again. Uncle Vernon had flushed his goldfish down the toilet. He slowly fell asleep, thinking of his new friend.

"Luna…."


End file.
